Byodo-in Omotesando Chikurin 平等院表参道 竹林 (Uji, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

Following a whirlwind 18 hours in Nara (奈良), it was time for our next adventure, one which we have waited long enough for – Uji (宇治).

While Uji is best known for its rich matcha heritage and tea farms, we decided to skip the tea-focused experience this time around. Instead, we will be visiting two of its most iconic tourist attractions: the historic Byodo Temple (平等院) and neighboring Ujibashi Street (宇治橋通商店街).

Located on the southern end of Byodo-in Omotesando (平等院表参道), Chikurin (竹林) is a modern Kaiseki restaurant offering an authentic Japanese dining experience. The location made it a perfect choice for lunch following our quick visit to the world heritage Byodo-in temple.

We were promptly ushered up to the second-floor dining area, where a private Japanese-style room awaited us. Tranquil, exclusive, and beautifully set for a relaxing meal.

Tranquil, exclusive, and beautifully set for a relaxing meal.

Little nugget couldn't wait to check out the view from the window.

As is customary with Kaiseki meals, our lunch began with a small appetizer: a savory matcha tofu served with a light soy sauce. Simple and refreshingly smooth, a great way to ease into the meal.

Next up was the soul-warming vegetable and fish broth with what they called a "fish cake" and silver fungus in the middle. The fish cake had the texture of tofu layered with minced fish, and a subtle hint of yuzu added a bright, zesty note that gave the dish a nice lift.

I have already reserved "Asagiri Gozen Bento Box" (5,500 yen) for everyone, a two-tiered bento packed with beautifully arranged small bites, each showcasing seasonal ingredients and refined flavors.

Sea bream and tuna sashimi – Fresh and clean.

Shrimp tempura with eggplant and green pepper – Crisp and satisfying.

My favorite parts of the bento were the tender octopus and scallop. The grilled salmon fillet was reasonably good.

Some sort of chilled tofu skin dumplings. Subtle in flavor, but texturally interesting.

The small bowl of seasoned rice with corn.

Dessert was jelly sprinkled with green tea powder. I thought we were going to at least get a monaka.

We all thought there was no way that this fat boy could finish the two-tier bento on his own but once again, he proved us wrong.

We got some unfinished business to take care of. First up: a stroll along Byodo-in Omotesando, followed by a visit to Ujibashi Street and if we're lucky enough, perhaps we could cap off our afternoon with a tea break at the main store of Tsujiri Uji Honten (辻󠄀利 宇治本店) or Nakamura Tokichi Honten (中村藤吉本店).

Food Rating: 5.8/10

Price: ￥￥￥￥

Address: Byodoin Omotesando kitamonmae, 21 Ujirenge, Uji, 611-0021 Kyoto, Japan

Tel: +81 (0)50 5485-1302

Website: https://chikurin-kyoto.com/

Opening Hours: 11:30am - 2:00pm, 4:30pm - 7:00pm daily